System and Method of Providing Communication Service Using a Private Packet Network Backbone Exchange

1. A private packet network backbone exchange (PPNBE) for providing communication service, comprising: a logical call control entity; a single logical routing database coupled to the logical call control entity; a signaling connection to a signaling network, the signaling connection coupled to the logical call control entity; a private packet network; a first connection between the private packet network and a first exchange; and a second connection between the private packet network and a second exchange, wherein: the logical call control entity is in signaling communication with the first and the second exchanges, the signaling communication enabled by the signaling connection, the logical call control entity is configured to establish, while operating in conjunction with the single logical routing database, a one-hop communication session between the first and the second exchanges over the private packet network without traversing any other exchanges, a content of the one-hop communication session includes at least one of voice or data and is delivered over the private packet network, the PPNBE is configured to establish separate one-hop communication sessions for: a local call between an originating local exchange and a first terminating local exchange, a long distance call between the originating local exchange and a different terminating local exchange, a first tandem call between the originating local exchange and a terminating tandem exchange, and a second tandem call between an originating tandem exchange and the first terminating local exchange.

2. The PPNBE of claim 1 , wherein the PPNBE provides nationwide communication service.

3. The PPNBE of claim 1 , wherein the PPNBE is further configured to establish separate one-hop communication sessions for: a first inter-exchange call between the originating local exchange and a terminating inter-exchange carrier (IXC), and a second inter-exchange call between an originating IXC and the first terminating local exchange.

4. The PPNBE of claim 1 , wherein the first exchange and the second exchange are controlled by different communication carriers.

5. The PPNBE of claim 1 , wherein a local access technology by which a first customer-premise equipment (CPE) accesses the originating local exchange and a local access technology by which a second CPE accesses the first or the different terminating local exchange are each from a set of local access technologies including wireless, wireline, data communication, VoIP and cable telephony.

6. The PPNBE of claim 5 , wherein the local access technology corresponding to the first CPE and the local access technology corresponding to the second CPE are different.

7. The PPNBE of claim 1 , wherein the signaling network is an SS7 network.

8. The PPNBE of claim 1 , wherein the first exchange is one of: a LEC local exchange; a CLEC local exchange; an exchange or gateway corresponding to a specific local access technology, the specific local access technology being a member of a set of local access technologies including wireless, wireline, data communication, VoIP and cable telephony; an inter-exchange carrier (IXC); a tandem exchange; a customer-premises equipment, a PBX, or an international gateway exchange.

9. The PPNBE of claim 1 , wherein the PPNBE further comprises a first PPNBE gateway coupled to the private packet network, and wherein the first connection is between the first exchange and the first PPNBE gateway and the second connection is between the second exchange and the first PPNBE gateway.

10. The PPNBE of claim 9 , wherein the logical call control entity is co-located with a second PPNBE gateway coupled to the private packet network and wherein the content of the one-hop communication session is routed internal to the first PPNBE gateway and is not backhauled between the first and the second PPNBE gateways.

11. The PPNBE of claim 1 , wherein the PPNBE further comprises a first and a second PPNBE gateway each coupled to the private packet network, and where the first connection is between the first exchange and the first PPNBE gateway and the second connection is between the second exchange and the second PPNBE gateway.

12. The PPNBE of claim 1 , wherein the private packet network backbone exchange further includes a direct connection between the private packet network and a third customer premises equipment.

13. The PPNBE of claim 1 , wherein the private packet network uses an Internet Protocol or other packet or cell switching technology.

14. The PPNBE of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the logical call control entity or the single logical routing database resides on one or more physical components of the private packet network backbone exchange.

15. The PPNBE of claim 1 , wherein a billing charge for the long distance call is independent of a distance of a route traversed by the long distance call.

16. A method of providing cost-efficient communication service between an inter-exchange carrier (IXC) and a plurality of end-office exchanges, comprising: providing an IXC trunk group connection to an only IXC trunk group between the IXC and a private packet network backbone exchange (PPNBE); providing a local trunk group connection to a local trunk group between the PPNBE and each of the plurality of end-office exchanges; controlling traffic within the PPNBE with a logical call control entity in signaling communication with the IXC and with each of the plurality of end-office exchanges; coupling a single logical routing database to the logical call control entity; providing a signaling connection at the PPNBE to a signaling network, the signaling connection enabling the signaling communication to and from the logical call control entity; coupling a private packet network to the logical call control entity, and configuring the private packet network to carry call content and optionally signaling corresponding to a call established by the logical call control entity in conjunction with the single logical routing database; coupling the private packet network to the IXC trunk group connection; coupling the private packet network to each of the local trunk group connections; establishing, by the logical call control entity in conjunction with the single logical routing database, a call instance in the PPNBE corresponding to each call in a volume of communication traffic between the IXC and the plurality of end-office exchanges; and routing the volume of communication traffic over the only IXC trunk group, wherein the volume of communication traffic: includes a plurality of calls each of which terminates to or originates from any of the plurality of end-office exchanges over a corresponding local trunk group, is greater than a maximum volume of communication traffic serviced by a maximally-apportioned trunk group between the IXC and a tandem exchange, and includes at least one of voice calls, data calls or hybrid voice and data calls.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of end-office exchanges includes at least one of a LEC end-office exchange or a CLEC end-office exchange.

18. The method of claim 16 : wherein establishing the call instance in the PPNBE corresponding to each call in the volume of communication traffic comprises establishing a call instance corresponding to at least one originating call in the volume of communication traffic, wherein the at least one originating call: is received at a specific local trunk group connection corresponding to a specific local trunk group between the private packet network and one of the plurality of end-office exchanges, is destined for the IXC, and includes one of: routing information different than an only Local Exchange Routing Guide (LERG)-supported route corresponding to the at least one originating call, or routing information corresponding to a selected LERG-supported origination route, the selected LERG-supported origination route one of a plurality of LERG-supported origination routes corresponding to the at least one originating call; and wherein routing the volume of communication traffic includes routing a call content of the at least one originating call over the private packet network to the IXC trunk group connection.

19. The method of claim 16 : wherein establishing the call instance in the PPNBE corresponding to each call in the volume of communication traffic comprises establishing a call instance corresponding to at least one terminating call in the volume of communication traffic, wherein the at least one terminating call: is received at the IXC trunk group connection, is destined for a particular end-office exchange, and includes one of: routing information different than an only LERG-supported route corresponding to the at least one terminating call, or routing information corresponding to a selected LERG-supported termination route, the selected LERG-supported termination route one of a plurality of LERG-supported termination routes corresponding to the at least one terminating call; and wherein routing the volume of communication traffic includes routing a call content of the at least one terminating call over the private packet network to a specific local trunk group connection corresponding to the particular end-office exchange.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising providing a meet point billing record to an IXC customer-of-record indicated in an EMI record, the meet point billing record corresponding to the at least one terminating call.

21. A method for providing communication service, comprising: receiving a call at a private packet network backbone exchange (PPNBE) via a first connection between a first exchange and a first gateway of the PPNBE, the call being one of a voice, data or hybrid voice and data call and the first exchange supporting a first local access technology from a group of local access technologies including wireless, wireline, data communication, VoIP and cable telephony; controlling traffic within the PPNBE with a logical call control entity in signaling communication with the first and a second exchange, the second exchange supporting a second local access technology; coupling a single logical routing database to the logical call control entity; coupling a signaling connection to a signaling network to the logical call control entity, the signaling connection enabling the logical call control entity to be in signaling communication with the first and the second exchanges; coupling the first gateway of the PPNBE and a second gateway of the PPNBE to a private IP packet network; establishing, by the logical call control entity in conjunction with the single logical routing database, a call instance in the PPNBE corresponding to the call; and routing, within the PPNBE via the private IP packet network and a second connection between the second gateway of the PPNBE and the second exchange, the call to the second exchange; and enabling the PPNBE to establish: a local call between an originating local exchange and a terminating local exchange, a long distance call between the originating local exchange and a different terminating local exchange, a first tandem call between the originating local exchange and a terminating tandem exchange, a second tandem call between an originating tandem exchange and the terminating local exchange; an first inter-exchange call between the originating local exchange and a terminating inter-exchange carrier (IXC), and a second inter-exchange call between an originating IXC and the terminating local exchange.

22. The method of claim 21 , wherein the first local access technology is different than the second local access technology.

23. The method of claim 21 , wherein the first exchange and the second exchange are controlled by different communication carriers.

24. The method of claim 21 , wherein when the first gateway and the second gateway are a same gateway and when the logical call control entity is co-located with a third gateway of the PPNBE, routing the call comprises routing the call within the same gateway without backhauling a content of the call to the third gateway.

25. The method of claim 21 , further comprising establishing, by the logical call control entity, at least one of a call feature or a call service associated with the call.

26. The method of claim 21 , further comprising establishing, by the logical call control entity, at least one of: a second call instance corresponding to a second call originating from the first or the second exchange and terminating to a customer-premises equipment (CPE) directly connected to a corresponding gateway of the PPNBE, or a third call instance corresponding to a third call originating from the CPE and terminating to the first or the second exchange.

27. A private packet network backbone exchange (PPNBE) for providing communication service, comprising: means for providing an IXC trunk group connection to an only IXC trunk group between the IXC and a private packet network backbone exchange (PPNBE); means for providing a local trunk group connection to a local trunk group between the PPNBE and each of a plurality of end-office exchanges; means for controlling traffic within the PPNBE with a logical call control entity in signaling communication with the IXC and with each of the plurality of end-office exchanges; means for providing a signaling connection at the PPNBE to a signaling network, the signaling connection enabling the signaling communication to and from the logical call control entity; means for coupling a private packet network to the logical call control entity, and configuring the private packet network to carry call content and optionally signaling corresponding to a call established by the logical call control entity by using a packet or cell switching technology; means for coupling the private packet network to the IXC trunk group connection; means for coupling the private packet network to each of the local trunk group connections; means for establishing, by the logical call control entity, a call instance in the PPNBE corresponding to each call in a volume of communication traffic between the IXC and the plurality of end-office exchanges; and means for routing the volume of communication traffic over the only IXC trunk group, wherein the volume of communication traffic: includes a plurality of calls each of which terminates to or originates from any of the plurality of end-office exchanges over a corresponding local trunk group, is greater than a maximum volume of communication traffic serviced by a maximally-apportioned trunk group between the IXC and a tandem exchange, and includes at least one of voice calls, data calls or hybrid voice and data calls.